Conventionally, plug-in connections are used for electrically interconnecting different circuit boards that are typically arranged within a housing of an electronic assembly or module. Each such conventional plug-in connection is formed by a respective multi-conductor connector plug and a corresponding multi-conductor connector socket that are each respectively arranged on or connected to one of the circuit boards. In cases in which two circuit boards that are to be interconnected are in direct proximity to each other, it is commonplace to arrange the plug directly on one circuit board and the corresponding socket directly on the other circuit board so that no connector cable is needed. However, in situations in which the two circuit boards are located spaced apart from one another, the plug and/or the socket are connected to the associated circuit board by means of an interposed connector cable. The interconnection is completed by plugging the plug into the socket.
The above described approaches for electrically interconnecting circuit boards with each other suffer several disadvantages. First of all, the circuit boards and the overall electronic assembly are made significantly more expensive due to the additional costs of the plug connection and the connector cables wherever applicable. Secondly, such connections are not very reliable, especially because each connection path can involve several independent connections in series, between the first circuit board and the first connector cable, between the first connector cable and the socket, between the socket and the plug, between the plug and a second connector cable, and between the second connector cable and the second circuit board. Whenever the use of a connector cable is to be avoided, i.e. the plug and socket are to be arranged directly on the circuit boards, then the dimensions of the circuit boards must be correspondingly increased to accommodate the dimensions of the plug and the socket, which accordingly entails additional costs and can cause the entire electronic assembly or module to have an increased size. Moreover, the assembly time and assembly costs are increased due to the necessary care and precision with which the plugs must be inserted into the sockets to complete the electrical interconnections.